X
by Lily Maxwell The Dark Angel
Summary: YxY Against the Humans, the battle between Dark and Light will go beyond everything known, and Destiny reserves more to the winged ones than thought. But there is actually no good side? What if other forces conspirate against them all?
1. Prelude

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X

The rain fell heavily down on Earth, thunders and lightning illuminating and haunting the land below. The city under the severity of the skies was almost underwater, suffering from the cold rain for months. Nothing like that had happened ever in the city of Domino... But things were not as normal as ever.

A young man stood in the cemetery, soaked from head to toe and shivering slightly because of the strong wind. He closed his eyes and knelt down in front of a grave, trying to feel as though he was standing just in front of the person who laid there, looking straight into its eyes.

'Yumei[1] Mutou - 1957/1993  
"May the angels guard her generous soul with love"'

"Mother..." he said in a soft voice, his whisperings being almost muffled by the loud thunders. "Is this what you told me about? Is this the sign?" he asked, but he got no answer.

*** ~ Flashback ~ ***

__

"Mother..." he sniffed, trying to control his tears but failing miserably. But his mother only smiled, lying on the hospital bed calmly as though she was expecting her death. "Why? Why do you have to go? Are the angels calling you?" he asked, but his mother only reached out weakly to touch his face, her smile never fading.

"My only angel is you, Yugi..." she whispered, and Yugi only cried more. "But it's my time to go... So was what fate designed to me." she said, but the 10-year old was unwilling in the idea of being alone. The lost of his father was only bearable because of his mother's support... But now that she was leaving...

"Is it... my destiny to be alone?" he asked absent-mindedly, but his mother only closed her eyes.

"You will never be alone, Yugi." His mother answered weakly, opening her eyes, which held an inhumanly assurance. "I never was..." she continued, but her breath was getting more and more weak.

"Mother...?" Yugi asked, tears shining in amethyst gems. He gripped his mother's hand tightly in his own. "What am I going to do without you?" he started to panic. "What of my... powers?!" he seemed desperate to know, but his only answer was vague.

"You'll know what to do, when the time comes... Yugi... There'll be... a sign..." and then, her last breath was gone. Yugi let out a scream and clenched to his mother's dead body, nurses coming instantly into the room, but even the doctor's attempts at a reanimation was futile...

That was her fate... So Yugi wondered what would be his.

*** ~ End of flashback ~ ***

"I can feel it..." he continued, not minding how the wind tried to blow his bones away, the rain penetrating in every single pore of his, his shivering uncontrollable by now. "Something is telling me... What's about to happen, mom?" he asked, sadness filling his gaze. "You never told me... I never knew why I had these powers or what my fate would be..." he said but closed his eyes, feeling as if there was nothing more to be said.

His mother was not going to answer him from heaven, he knew it... But he just wished she could have been clearer about what he was... and what he was about to do... What he was about to become. He was not normal. But just what he was?

He stood up straight and stared a bit more at his mother's grave before moving on, walking through the mud of the cemetery and trying to focus with his blurry vision his destination. A lightning flashed. He saw it.

His mother was in Domino when she got sick... And she was buried there, even though she did not live there. But it was a request from Yugi's grandfather, Sugoroku. He said that, no matter how much pain the city gave her in the past, it would bring her more peace if she were to be beside her husband, Ryuu[2] Mutou. And so, Yugi had lived there the past 6 years...

He stopped again, smiling even more softly than before, kneeling down in front of another grave, this time placing a red rose on the ground. He closed his eyes before beginning to speak.

"I... I wished you were here..." and he felt, even though it was rare, vulnerable. "I don't think... I... I didn't want to do this alone... Whatever it is I'm going to do." he added in almost false sarcasm. His eyes opened. They were glassy and teary. "Mother said I was never going to be alone... So why is this that I feel so lonely? Also, you said you were never going to leave me... So why is that I don't feel you anymore? Does it feel good lying to me?" he asked almost like a normal rebelled teen.

Then, in a matter of seconds, he was back to his monotone and almost pitiful self. He smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry... It's just not fair..." he wiped some of his tears away along with raindrops, even though it was of no use. "I hope you haven't forgotten about me, even after all this time... Because... you're still here..." he paused, pointing to where his heart was located on his chest. His smile became more sincere. "We were the best of friends... remember? So, when the time comes, I hope you wait for me... I sense we'll... be reunited soon." He added then stood up, but did not walk away.

He closed his eyes again.

"Why is it that people say I'm never going to be alone... But I always end up alone?" he said, the void in his emotions back. More tears mixed with the raindrops on his face and fell on the ground before the grave. He laughed sadly. "And I never get to them who matters the most to me what I feel..." he said, before taking a white rose from his cloak. He looked at it then kissed the petals, before depositing it just across the red one.

Then, with a final smile and a final tear, he walked away into the stormy afternoon.

'Yami Awaikage[3] - 1983/1998  
"His honorific acts shall not be forgotten at Heaven's gates"'

Two figures stood hidden from the young man as he exited the cemetery, and were supposed to be hidden from each other had they tried hard to. But neither hid itself from the other, on purpose or not only the gods knew.

One stood at the top of the angel statue in the middle of the cemetery, white clothes flying with the strong wind, but not disturbed one bit by it. The other was mildly better hidden on a tree's branch, its dark-gray trench coat dancing the melody of the storm.

"So you're here too... It's him, I presumed correctly?" the white-clothed person said, and the other chuckled.

"Yes, it's him the one. It's just a pity he hadn't seen us, huh? His questions about 'fate' could be answered..." the other replied, voice muffled by the constant rustling of the leaves around him. The white-clothed being sighed.

"I'm afraid you'd only confuse his mind..." he answered, and from between the dancing leaves, icy eyes buried into his warm ones.

"So you consider yourself better then me, _Mighty_?" the other mocked, but he didn't seem fazed.

"Take what I said as you wish, _Fallen_." He answered, and the other growled. "But the One will be in our side... Unless you disagree?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The other jumped suddenly from his position into the air. He sighed again. "So it's decided." He said, jumping too.

Before either touched the ground, marvelous wings emerged from their back. White, shiny bright wings from the one in white clothes, dark ones from the other one, which flapped them, making dark feathers fly with the wind. They faced each other.

"Give up, Fallen." The white-winged being said, but the other just narrowed his eyes.

"Why? You think you're any better than me?" he tsk-tsked. "Face the reality, as tough as it may be, _mighty_... We are the same." He said, and without any further warning, took a sword from his belt. The other one narrowed his eyes and waited for the attack to come.

The dark-winged being raised his sword high in the air, and in a matter of seconds, a lighting flashed down on him, drawn by the sword. He didn't get hurt though, but the energy was caught in his sword. He dashed forward and tried to hit his opponent.

The white-winged one just sighed and dodged as much as he could, but at the last moment, he was hit by the most furious attack of the other one. A deep cut appeared on his left arm, and his whole arm shook with great electricity, ten times worse than normal. He angrily glared at the smirking adversary.

Instantly he raised his arms in the air and drew the figure of a bow with his hands, suddenly a bow of light emerging from thin air. He grabbed the bow and, with great skill, started to throw light arrows at the other one.

Maybe he underestimated the light being, because even with his quick movements, an arrow transpierced his shoulder, making a shiny crimson blood fall into the holy ground. He balanced ungracefully until he fell backwards, his back hitting one of the graves. He cried in agony.

Another arrow suddenly hit him on the _other_ shoulder, making more blood fall and he get stuck to the grave. He glared furiously at his adversary and, despite his pain, managed to throw his sword on the low-guarded winged man, piercing through one of his wings. A majesty silvery blood fell but soon faded from vision.

The darker one was spared from a severe kick on the guts from the more controlled light being.

"You... lose." The white-winged one claimed, pointing a light arrow at the other's face.

"Gsv yzgoov szh qfhg yvtfm...[4]" the other murmured, and he widened his eyes.

"You may not speak the Ancient's language!!" he yelled indignantly, almost releasing the arrow in the other's face. "And _face it_, Fallen, you have lost... this time." He added, and it seemed to please the other one.

"This time you say..." icy eyes narrowed, but a smirk was placed on his lips. The other one lowered his arrow, but still glared at the other one.

"This time... we've got the chosen one... But it's still not over." He said, and with that, flew away.

The wounded winged one took the arrows as quick as he could from his shoulders, but it did not mean it didn't hurt. It hurt. A _lot_. But at least now he didn't have those cursed light arrows in his flesh anymore...

He stood up with great difficulty, and looked down. He blinked, noticing the grave beside the blood-covered one. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, they shone with some unknown bliss. He chuckled.

"Darkness' light shadow[5]... How convenient..." he said and with that, flew away too.

~~~ **_end of prelude_**

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or X/1999 (where this idea came from... It was just an inspiration, the plots are not very alike though)  
**Warning**: This story will contain shounen ai (boy/boy love) so beware  
**Couple**: Yami/Yugi  
**Sided couples**: Bakura/Ryou, Malik/Mariku, Seto/Katsuya, Hiroto/Anzu and Shizuka/Ryuuji

A/N: Okay... Don't worry, this won't be a shameless plagiary of X/1999... I have my own twists, my own plot, you guys will soon see... IF you didn't already O.o Please **review** and wait for the next update... OH! And for the messages on the graves.... *shrugs* I'm clueless 'bout them, so sorry if they sounded stupid and/or wrong...

[1] Yumei - Dream (actually it's Yume, but I changed it a bit)  
[2] Ryuu - Dragon (funny, both his parents' name mean things with D... ^^)  
[3] Awaikage - Light shadow  
[4] "The battle has just begun..." in my own strange language... I'll explain more about it later.  
[5] It's an allusion to Yami's name... It can be wrong, but I tried, didn't I?


	2. 32 days until the end of the world

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X - 01 (32 days until the end of the world)

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or X/1999 (where this idea came from... It was just an inspiration, the plots are not very alike though)  
**Warning**: This story will contain shounen ai (boy/boy love) so beware  
**Couple**: Yami/Yugi  
**Sided couples**: Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik, Seto/Katsuya, Hiroto/Anzu and Ryuuji/Shizuka

~ ~ ~

"You look tired, Yugi." A very friendly voice spoke, and Yugi looked up. The school bell didn't ring yet, so he sat on his desk silent as ever, looking lazily through the window with his head leaning against the glass, with unfocused eyes.

He faked a smile, like always.

"I'm fine..." he said, bringing his head to lean against his hand then, his elbow on his desk. "I guess this rain just leave me kind of sleepy." He continued, the fake smile never fading.

His friend shook her head, her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes sad. She didn't speak anything for a few seconds before...

"You went there, didn't you?" she asked when Yugi went back at looking through the window. He blinked and looked at her blankly.

"Anzu..." he spoke slowly, but the girl continued.

"I called you last night, and your grandfather told me that you weren't home. I asked where you were, and he said you didn't tell him. I know he was lying." She spoke, her voice unusually high. "It's been a year... so I figured..."

"I'm fine, Anzu." He assured his friend, smiling comfortingly. He took a deep breath. "I've just been reminiscing for too long..." he spoke in a low voice, and continued his task of looking at the street below. Or trying to. The rain left the vision too blurry. Anzu didn't move for a few minutes until the bell rang, and she sighed helplessly, walking towards her desk.

Yugi was just too lost in his memories to care about the bell.

*** ~ Flashback ~ ***

__

He stood in front of his mother's grave, feeling too alone for comfort. His grandfather kept telling him to stop going there, to try and adjust to his new life in Domino, but he refused. The hole her absence made in his soul was too big to ignore... And the wound hurt too much to heal. It had been a month already, but did he care? He wanted to die, too, just to join her! To join them!!

But did he actually manage to die? Of course not. That was not his fate_. His mother told him to wait for the sign, so he would._

"So you're here again." A voice spoke behind him and he jumped. He turned around and met a boy from his class. They never spoke to each other, but he knew who he was.

Yami Awaikage.

"A-again?" he asked, his voice weak. Yami just smiled.

"Yes. I've been watching you every time you came here." He blushed and looked down. "I-I'm not stalking you... It's just that I was here the first two times you came here too, so I k-kind of... well... I followed you every time when you left school." He raised his hands in an apologizing manner. "I-I'm sorry for doing it, i-if you want I can go-"

"Why were you here?" Yugi asked, tilting his head to the side, while still kneeling in front of his mother's grave. Yami blinked and hesitated, before kneeling beside him, looking at the messages on the grave.

"Are these... your parents?" he asked timidly, and Yugi wondered why he avoided his question at the same time he wondered why he asked that._ He remained silent for a while, leaving Yami very uncomfortable._

"Yes." he finally replied, smiling at his mother and father's names on the graves. Yami nodded.

"My father... h-he died too..." he said, and Yugi looked up.

"I'm sorry." he said, meaning every word. Yami shook his head and smiled to him.

"Don't be. Everybody is, and it gets kind of annoying when they eye me with pity..." Yugi blinked and looked down.

"I-I'm not pitying you... I-I know how it feels..." he said, and felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and met the comforting eyes of the other boy.

"I know you do." he said, before standing up. Yugi stood up along.

"Why are you talking to me?" he asked, and looked down blushing. "And w-why did you follow me...?"

"What can't I?" Yami asked, leaning forward and staring at Yugi in the eyes, their faces merely inches apart. Yugi blushed at the gesture, and also at how beautiful the crimson eyes seemed when you looked directly into them.

"I-it's not that... I-it's just that everybody in class just... doesn't like talking to me and..." but Yami raised his hand to make him stop talking. He went silent immediately.

"One thing is that I'm not everybody." He said smiling, as if to demonstrate he was not angry about his words. "And two is that everybody in class are stupid." He continued, and Yugi blinked before giggling. He smiled. "And also... I identify myself with you." He finished, and Yugi blinked.

"How...?" he asked, tiling his head to the side again. Yami patted his head, laughing.

"You're silent, Yugi. You seem to be kind and smart. And I think we have lots of things in common. In resume" he smiled widely. "I like you[1]_." He said, and Yugi blushed._

"Thank you..." he spoke, and Yami laughed, winking.

"Don't thank me. Now what about we leave, huh? Our parents have to rest." He said kindly. Yugi smiled and nodded.

"Yami!! Hurry!!" a voice called from the entrance, and Yami looked up, seeing a woman with long dark-red hair and blonde bangs.

"Kay, mom! I'm coming!!" he called back, before turning to Yugi. "We're going to buy ice-creams, do you wanna come?" he asked. Yugi hesitated.

"B-but I don't have money with me, and I don't want to-" but before he could finish, Yami was laughing and was already dragging him away.

"C'mon, mom will pay for you, don't worry about it!" he said, and Yugi smiled nodding. "To pay back, you could hang out with us more! My friends are out of town for the summer, and I don't want to be stuck alone in my room." He said pouting. Yugi laughed.

"Sure!" he answered happily.

"Now what about a formal introduction, huh?" Yami asked, releasing Yugi's hand and offering his again. "Yami Awaikage." He said, grinning. Yugi laughed again.

"Yugi Mutou." He shook the taller one's hand, and Yami dragged him towards his mom again.

"Great, now c'mon! I'll introduce you to mom!" and with that, they went away.

*** ~ End of flashback ~ ***

Yugi closed his eyes and let himself come back to the present.

Before the teacher entered, however, a boy ran inside the class, panting. His face was red, maybe from exhaustion, and he walked lazily towards his seat, in front of Anzu. He all but collapsed on his chair, and Anzu couldn't help but giggle. Yugi momentarily smiled at him, before drifting his attention to the rain again. The newcomer eyed him while he regarded his breath, before turning to Anzu.

"He's even worse than usual..." he whispered, referring to Yugi's silent and isolated behavior. Anzu sighed heavily and whispered back.

"I know, Honda[2]. I think that's not very _healthy_..." she said, placing her forehead against his shoulder. Honda blinked.

"Do you know what happened to him?" he asked, and Anzu hesitated before answering.

"Yes." Her voice was even lower. "He didn't actually tell me, but I know... It's been a year, you know..." she said, and Honda's eyes showed understanding.

"So that's it." He said, looking at the object of their conversation. "I can't help but feel sorry for him. Yami seemed even closer to him than to us, don't you think?"

"I don't think, I _know_ it... Don't you remember when we came back from vacation, that year?" she asked, lifting her head.

*** ~ Flashback ~ ***

__

Anzu and Honda entered their classroom talking cheerfully to each other about their vacation. Both were sorry to leave Domino and Yami, but they didn't have much of a choice.

Their parents were the best of friends and it was a tradition to visit Tokyo on summer vacation and winter break, and Yami's mom, that year, was too busy with work to join them, and she also didn't want Yami to leave. Maybe she didn't want to be apart from her son, now that her husband was gone...

They searched around the class for their friend, and finally spotted him sitting by the window, in front of...

"Hey, aren't you the boy who entered the school before the vacation began?" Anzu asked, walking towards them. Yugi smiled and nodded, but didn't say a thing. Yami was smiling widely.

"Hey, it's great seeing you guys again! And his name's Yugi, Anzu!" he said, and turned to Yugi. "Those are my friends. Yugi, that's Anzu Mazaki and Hiroto Honda. Guys, this is Yugi Mutou, my new friend!." He introduced them, and they all smiled to each other, while Yami grinned to Yugi. "And now that we're all introduced, you guys tell me about your vacation, and Yugi and I tell you about ours right Yugi?" he asked winking, and the boy giggled and nodded.

*** ~ End of flashback ~ ***

"It was incredible how close they became in just a month..." Honda said, regarding that day, and how Yami told them happily about how he and Yugi spent their vacation together. "I don't know how, but maybe it was because they had too much in common... I guess it's just fair that Yugi misses him. I never saw them apart these past 6 years." He continued, and Anzu nodded.

No more words were said as the teacher finally entered and started the day's work.

When Yugi walked back home, the umbrella was not really helping. The rain was too strong and he was getting soaked, having forgotten his raincoat. After a few minutes, the wind finally blew his umbrella away, and he was left unprotected from the freezing raindrops.

He hugged his schoolbag to his chest and ran towards his grandfather's Game Shop, his house, as fast as possible. It was not like he was going to get sick, that _hardly_ happened, but he just didn't like the cold.

It gave him horrible memories.

The streets were almost deserted as he ran, so when he saw a shadow in front of him, he stopped. One thing was that this person, dressed in a white trench coat and white clothes, had also white hair and warm eyes. It amazed him. And also... he could feel something about this person that was not normal...

"Who are you?" he asked but the person, a boy, only smiled.

"Be aware, Yugi, for what is about to happen. You must be aware of what is about to come, and what your role will be." He said in a soft voice.

"What... is about to happen...?" he asked.

"The end of the world." Was his answer. Yugi widened his eyes, but the boy said nothing else. He just smiled and walked away, vanishing in Yugi's blurry vision.

__

The end... of the world? My role? He wondered, but his answers were not about to come soon.

Darkness. Was all that was visible if you looked left, right, ahead, behind, above and below. There were voices everywhere, some sad, some angry, some desperate, some yelling. There wasn't a single one that seemed happy in any sense.

After all, this wasn't a place for happy souls.

His icy eyes wandered around, not minding anything disturbing from his surroundings, searching for one _single_ soul. Could be a difficult, if not horrible task for someone else, but for someone like _him_, it was nothing at all.

He knew there was worse.

"Yami!!" he called out, and it would seem stupid to call out for the darkness if one did not know what he was calling for. A calling was heard somewhere in the mist of the dark and he followed it, until he was face to face with two crimson orbs.

Easy? Perhaps. But it avoided any harder task.

"Are you Yami?" he asked, and several shadows backed from him. Maybe it was because he had wings, or maybe because they just knew he was a dangerous one. The crimson orbs narrowed.

"I am... him..." was his answer. One weak answer.

He smirked.

"You'll come with me." he declared.

~~~ **_end of chapter I_**

A/N: Strange? Maybe. Original? I hope so ^^U The flashbacks were necessary in case YY/Y fans wanted a bit of fluff. Well, they'll be your source of fluff from now on, so don't complain about them, okay? The next chapter will come out soon (or maybe only next month...), so if you guys could please **review**, I'd be greatly thankful ^^

[1] Hmm... it's not in the sense you're thinking. He meant as in a friendly way... They're too young to love anyway. (Iris: What are you saying? Your first serious crush was when you had 11! Lily: Shut up...)  
[2] Huh... is his first name Hiroto or Honda? O_o Hiroto is one strange name, but I can't let his childhood friend calling him by his last name...

:: _Replies to reviewers _::

~ **Koishii no Tenshi **~ I'm glad you like it! I hope this was a soon update and that you liked the chapter

~ **kIm** ~ I hope this was interesting too ^^

~ **YumeTakato** ~ Was this good too? I hope so!

~ **Destiny** ~ *laughs* Yeah, people may be mad at "destiny" now, ne? ^^U CLAMP is really good, I just LOVE their work. The artwork is perfect, now ain't it? The bishies... yeah... *drools at Kamui before coming back to normal* *ahem* Well, I hope you liked the update

~ **Hime no Ichigo** ~ Actually I was lazy enough to grab the name of the fic from the manga I got the story itself from XD Shame on me!! But I have reasons for doing it... Anyway, hope this update was quick ^^U *somehow knows it wasn't* OH, and Sugoroku is alive, don't worry. ^^ *cheers* Yay, someone who liked my made-up language!! Even if it's strange ^^

Iris: Oh and Kouichi, don't feel too special about your hikari... Lily WAS thinking about Legolas when she was writing the bow-thing..

Lily: *sweatdrops before continuing* Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter!

~ **miami-chan** ~ Hmm... Because Yugi was "talking" to Yami, not his father. So that means... yeah, Yami's dead... *dodges a lethal weapon (Evil Table of Doom, maybe?) thrown at her* O.o Eeep, sorry!!

~ **Pretenna** ~ A bit freaky, huh? I like freaky stuff =P lol ^^U Hey Momiji, they were compliments! Anyway, I'm glad you thought the grave inscriptions were nice, even though I don't know a thing about them ^^U lol, and I'm glad you're back ^-^ *glomps*


	3. 31 days until the end of the world

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X - 02 (31 days until the end of the world)

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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or X/1999 (where this idea came from... It was just an inspiration, the plots are not very alike though)  
**Warning**: This story will contain shounen ai (boy/boy love) so beware  
**Couple**: Yami/Yugi  
**Sided couples**: Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik, Seto/Katsuya, Hiroto/Anzu and Ryuuji/Shizuka

~ ~ ~

"So, you have told him, Ryou?" a figure asked, and a boy, with white hair and gentle chocolate-colored eyes nodded, kneeling on one knee before the other person.

"Yes. He was already informed about what is about to happen." He said, and the figure nodded, standing up from its crystal throne, walking around the room.

It was a woman. She wore a long simple white dress, and her heels made loud sounds when met the floor. She closed beautiful azure eyes, her tanned hands coming to rest on her chest. Gorgeous, shiny white wings flapped around as she spread them, its length enough to reach almost from one side of the room to the other. She took a deep breath and released slowly, stopping where she was. The other celestial creature behind her now.

"Inform him of his destiny. And what his mission will be from now on." She said, and the other, Ryou, nodded, flapping his wings a little, then walking over to the window. The woman called out for his name and he stopped.

"Yes, miss Isis?" he asked, bowing down before her again. Isis looked at his form with unease eyes before she finally spoke.

"Protect him. I sense upcoming danger upon the chosen one." She said, and Ryou looked up with natural big eyes.

"Is it not because of what is about to happen? What he is about to do?" he asked innocently, and Isis only looked at the ground, her eyes showing no emotion but concern.

"I... I am afraid... That..." she looked at him. "That something else is going to happen to him. And he will suffer. All along." She said, and Ryou widened his eyes.

"Is he... going to get hurt, Miss Isis?" Ryou asked, and she shook her head. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, bending down to look directly into his eyes. 

"Not physically, my dear Ryou." She said, and Ryou opened his mouth to speak but did not find his voice. He placed his hand on hers, and looked up at her with emotive eyes, full of wonder.

"Do you think... _they_ can do anything to him?" he asked, and Isis stood up straight and brought a hand to her mouth, eyes narrowed in thought. She began to walk around the room in silence, and Ryou waited patiently for the moment she would speak again.

"No." She answered at last, sitting down on the transparent throne yet again. She folded her hands and cast her eyes down to her lap. "But there is not only one way to torture someone... right?" she asked, and Ryou stood up, looking away.

"Yes." He said, and with a nod, flew away from the place.

Isis placed her elbow on the throne's arm and placed her chin upon her palm. She stared at the nothingness for a long time, completely silent, eyes remaining a blank blue, pupils almost non-existent. Then she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

"It has begun." She spoke to no one but herself. "The battle is coming... And it cannot be postponed. We knew this would happen.... But..." she moved a hand over to her heart, eyes narrowed. "Why do I sense... So much pain? It's different... From the last time..." she practically breathed out the words, and the breeze within the room seemed to understand her. She sighed. "Chosen one... Will you withstand the trials put before you? Will you be ready, in 31 days, for the purpose your life is all about? Will you be able... to face it? Will you be able... to fight it?"

*

Darkness. Murmurs. Eyes. The sound of rustling. The feeling of moving wind. A faint light of yellow, green, blue, coming from the sides. The sound of moving feet, of heels meeting the floor. A loud sound of a bell. Then silence. Silence and darkness.

He looked up. There was the majestic figure of Him. There, looking down, not meeting his eyes with His own. Arms wide open, looking greater than any of them all. Blood fell down his face, hands and feet. His chest was bare, and His hair fell against His face lifeless. He looked fragile. Defeated.

And the only emotion he could express before the cross was void. Nothing. He felt nothing. He demonstrated nothing. The man... meant nothing.

He looked around him, to the people that surrounded him. They all looked at him with a blank face. They all looked devoid of emotions, as if he was merely... There. Like a mere continuation of the shadows. Useless. Unimportant. But if he was called there...

"Why?" he asked, crimson eyes looking at the faces of each one of them. "Why am I here?" he continued, and the man who brought him them cleared his throat, bringing his face close to his own, blue eyes locked on scarlet bloody pools.

"We called you... Because we know you can help us." He said, and scarlet eyes narrowed.

"Help? Why me?" he continued, and the man chuckled.

"Why you?" he inquired in vain, and he felt himself losing his short patience. The man did not seem to care, but he continued anyway. "Because... you are darkness." He said.

"And so?" he asked, and the man smirked in the dim light.

"So are we." He said, and in a swift movement, black feathers brushed against his face, as the man spread out dark wings from his back, and so did his companions. He stared at them with wide eyes, but other than that, showed no more reactions.

"We are the Fallen Shadows." A blank female voice spoke, her long black dress giving away exactly the personality its owner had. She was merely cold as night itself. And she moved with the grace of swirling shadows. "And you have been chosen."

"For what?" he asked again, frustrated with the time it was taking to get a simple question answered.

"Revenge upon the ones who made us forsaken. Who abandoned us." Another female voice spoke, this one a lot softer than her companions.

"Do you not wish revenge?" a woman made her way to him, touching his chest and moving her hands up and down suggestively, showing off white teeth and her fangs shone to him in her smirk. "Do you not want the gods to pay for what they have done to you?" she asked, touching his cold face. Icy skin he had.

He pushed her off, and the woman chuckled, brushing raven bangs away from her dark gray eyes that shone with malice. He watched the insanity radiating from her.

"Yes." He answered simply, and the man with blue eyes caught his attention again when he chuckled.

"Then join us, Yami. And in a matter of time, you will get what you want." He spoke, and the crimson eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"How long?" he asked, and a female laughed, her voice sounding more strident than any of the previous ones.

"31 days, darling. In 31 days we will kill them all and watch them suffer. And the humans... all the humans will perish." She said.

"What will happen 31 one days?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The end of the world." The navy-eyed one spoke, and he turned ruby jewels towards him. Soon, a smirk appeared on his lips, and he seemed delighted with the idea.

"Sounds good to me." he said, and a chorused laugh echoed through the abandoned church where they were located, birds flying off from the roof, startled, a chilling breeze passing around like a bad presage.

"Up to then... We have only one mission." The cold female voice spoke again, and a violent male voice laughed.

"Hunt the pretty angels." He said, and crimson eyes narrowed.

"Yes... That sounds just right."

*

Yugi arrived at his home, and all but collapsed on his bed. He couldn't pay attention to anything in class after the incident the day before with that boy. The message he gave him startled and disturbed him, and all he wished for was more explanations.

What was this 'end of the world'? And what role did the boy say that he was going to play? Was this... what his mother was telling him about? Was he going to do anything that could either save or destroy the world? Was this what his powers were for?

He placed an arm over his eyes, and sighed deeply. The answers were not coming to him, no matter how much he wanted them. And also, there was something within him... Something inside him that was clenching his insides in a tight grip that was hurting him. And he had no idea what was that.

__

Am I sick? He wondered, facing the darkness behind his pupils. _What is going to happen to me?_ was all he could think, and before he even knew it, he drifted away from consciousness, falling towards the depths of his never-sleeping mind.

*** ~ Dream Sequence/Flashback ~ ***

__

Yugi giggled. His feet moved back and forth under the table, and he glanced in amusement at Yami, at the other side of the table, who was frowning down at their game. The chess pieces only looked up at him, some mocking him, some waiting patiently for when he would make his move. But Yugi did not see the time when he would finally make a move, seeming like he was finally trapped.

Then Yami's face brightened. He moved a piece down on the board, and Yugi followed its movement, and when he looked back at Yami, this one was smirking. The two 12-year-olds had been playing that game for the past hour, and Yugi thought he was going to win but...

"Checkmate." Yami claimed. Yugi blinked once. Twice. And many other times after that.

"I can't believe in it... How did you... Why do you always win against me?" Yugi asked, pouting. Yami laughed.

"Maybe it's a gift, you know. For me to be so good at games." Yami said and stretched, enjoying staying in his mother's gardens. He liked it there. More than any place inside his family's mansion. For him, it was just an inhuman, empty, silent and lonely place. Even with many maids, and with his mother there. The place was just too big. And you felt so small... It made you feel lonely.

But when Yugi went there, Yami always seemed cheerful and happy. He never seemed down, Yugi was sure he had never seen him sad since he met him. It may have been a short time, but still... It was like Yami was not normal. Like he was some holy creature. Such as Yugi himself. Someone who was different from everybody else. Someone... unique.

And Yugi liked being around him. It was like he had finally found someone perfect for him. Someone like him. So similar, yet so different. And he felt... like he depended on Yami. And like Yami depended on him too. Like they completed each other. The perfect mates. Best of friends.

(A/N: I am not insinuating anything romantic... Not yet.)

__

Everybody seemed to want to take care of him. They pitied him, felt the need to protect him. And he felt sad by that. He never felt the same around these people... His grandfather, his teachers, his other friends... They all treated him like a little child. But because he had suffered with the loss of both parents and still smiled, they should see him as strong and not weak.

And that's how Yami saw him. Because he understood. And only when he was around him, or around his mother he felt different... He could finally be himself. And that's what made him happy.

"Or maybe you're just a cheater." Yugi said grinning, and Yami blinked.

"Why you little--!!" he said playfully and Yugi giggled, jumping up from his seat and running away from Yami who had stormed after him. They both laughed, chasing each other around the gardens, when Yami finally caught Yugi and threw him to the ground, standing on top of him. He grinned when Yugi blinked, and catching him out of guard, started to tickle him.

Mrs. Awaikage, upon hearing so many laughs and yells, walked out of her house and spotted the two friends there, Yami standing over Yugi and tickling him to death, both laughing hysterically. A smile graced her beautiful features. She had never seen Yami so happy, in such a long time.

Yami had friends, yes, but Yugi was special. They all knew it.

"Hey boys!" she called and waved, and Yami stopped tickling Yugi, both looking up at her, panting and grinning.

"Yes mom?" Yami called back, sitting on Yugi's legs. Yugi brought himself partially to a sitting position supported by his arms, head turned over to where Mrs. Awaikage was.

"There's some tea and cookies ready inside, don't you want some?" she asked, and they both nodded enthusiastically. She giggled. "Then come on in!" she called and waved again, then walking back inside.

Yami turned to Yugi and the boy 'eeped' when Yami leaned over and he had to fall down on his back again. The taller one's hands stood on each side of Yugi's head and he was grinning mischievously, and all Yugi could do was blink up at him.

"I win again." He said, and Yugi pouted.

"That's because you cheated again!" he claimed, and Yami laughed.

"Just how_ did I cheat this time?" he asked, and Yugi blinked a few more times before answering._

"This game doesn't count, you've longer legs than me, therefore you're faster!" he said, and Yami tilted his head to the side.

"But you're lighter than me, you_ should be faster." He said, and grinned when Yugi seemed at a loss of words. "Yug?" he asked._

"Yeah?" Yugi replied, still not moving from under him.

"Chase you to the entrance." He said, and with that, jumped off of him and hurried to the mansion's front door. It took Yugi a couple of seconds to take in what he had just said, and when he did, he ran after Yami as fast as he could.

"Hey!! You had a head start!! It's not fair!" he called, and Yami squeaked when he noticed Yugi was not going to stop at the entrance. So when he reached the front door, he opened it quickly and ran inside, Yugi just after him.

Mrs. Awaikage was about to ask what was taking them so long when she saw two blurs running towards the living room and blinked, amused. So much for a relaxing weekend.

When Yami reached the coffee table, he turned to Yugi only to be jumped on and fall down on his back. At the end, Yugi sat triumphantly on his stomach, and he could swear his back was going to hurt for a few hours.

"I win." Yugi claimed, and Yami would laugh did he not have his breath caught on his chest the time Yugi jumped on him.

"Actually... I did..." he spoke breathlessly, but decided to complement that when Yugi gave him a glare. "But I guess... I can let you win this last chase inside... too..." he said, and Yugi smiled brightly, nodding enthusiastically.

"Actually, I've been thinking." He said, and stood up from his position on Yami's stomach, moving to lay in between his legs, and his arms folded on Yami's chest, his chin lying on them to look down at Yami's face. "There's a game I think you won't be able to defeat me."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Yami asked, facing the ceiling.

"Duel Monsters." He said, and Yami blinked, looking down at him with an eyebrow raised. "What?" Yugi asked.

"That new game? Duel Monsters?" he asked, and Yugi nodded.

"Yeah, don't you have a deck?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Yami smiled and sat up, making Yugi roll to lay on his back, and lay his head on his lap to be able to look up at him.

"Of course I do!! And I tell you, I have had a deck for two months now." He grinned, and Yugi frowned.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, and Yami laughed.

"I wanted this to be a secret." He winked. "I knew your grandpa sold the cards, and wanted to become good enough before challenging you." He admitted, and Yugi 'oh-ed'.

"So... do you want to duel me now?" he asked, and Yami nodded.

"Sure!" he said, and Yugi cheered, jumping up to hug Yami around the neck, making him fall on his back again. In a matter of seconds, Yugi was back on his stomach, and grinning. "Ugh! Cheater!! Mom!! Help me!!" he called, waving an arm up. He heard his mother's laugh.

"You deserved it, Yami." She said and Yami saw her grinning to Yugi when she placed their cups on the coffee table, along with a plate full of cookies.

"Traitor." Yami muttered when she winked to him and walked off. Yugi laughed and finally stood up when she left, and walked to the opposite side of the table where Yami was, getting his cup and some cookies. "Are you two in league against me or something?" he asked, and Yugi shrugged.

"So, let's duel?" Yugi asked, and Yami grinned and nodded.

Later that day, it was already evening when Mrs. Awaikage passed by the Living Room, and she couldn't help but stop at the sight she found there. Yugi and Yami had fallen asleep while dueling, and her son's hand lay on top of Yugi's hand, their other hands being used as a pillow for their heads. The cards lay forgotten, scattered around the table and on the floor.

She moved to wake them up but stopped herself. The scene was too beautiful to be disturbed. Instead, she moved towards the nearest phone and dialed Sugoroku's, Yugi's grandfather number, and asked if Yugi could stay over. He agreed. And when she passed the room again, all she could do was stare, smile, then move away.

Special friends, indeed.

*** ~ End of Dream Sequence/Flashback ~ ***

Yugi opened his eyes. He blinked them a few times and yawned before looking over at the clock. He had slept for about two hours. He didn't immediately sit up, instead just lied there and stared at the ceiling. He smiled to himself.

That dream... It was one of many of the wonderful times he had had with Yami. He could clearly remember his face, his voice, his laugh... He could even remember his scent and how the warmth of his skin felt like. Yami was within him. When he died, he broke. Broke like when his mother died. He was never going to be the same...

He sighed. Maybe after finishing his purpose in life, he could die. Die and join Yami, at the right time, and stay with him. He meant so much to Yugi that it hurt... Hurt to know he was there, and he lost him. Hurt to know the moments were there, but were not going to be there anymore. Hurt to know that he could have said how much he meant to him... and didn't.

He sat up. And his eyes widened.

"Hello." The white-clothed boy smiled when their gazes locked, standing there, at his feet.

~~~ **_end of chapter II_**

A/N: Well... Long, interesting and fluffy. What else do you want me to do, huh? ^^U Heh, please don't yell at me because of the cliffhanger... I know it was mean and all, but there was nothing else to write, I tell you. *shrugs* But I guess it was good enough, wasn't it? I am sorry for the big delay, I don't know what possessed me to take so long to update this story. I love it. I think I'm going to update it next week again... To make up for the broken tradition of monthly update, ne? Then, in April, I post the 5th chapter (or 4th, if you don't consider the prologue)... Anyway, please don't forget to **review**, alright?

:: _Replies to reviewers _::

~ **YumeTakato** ~ Oh, thank you for clarifying that!! *bows down in appreciation* ^^ Arigatou gozaimasu! Sorry for taking so long to update though... I guess that my inspiration has a very twisted sense of humor...

OH! And sorry for not reading any of your stories yet!! Thing is, I have been kind of busy reading some other stories I just had to, and didn't have the courage to go to your bio and read one of your stories. I feel like I have such a responsibility upon my shoulders XD Don't mind me... Just wait and I'll get to you at the right time ^_~

~ **LiLTakariGirl aka Yami Aro** ~ Oh heeeeeeey Aro-chan!! Good to see you here ^^ Oh and this is going to be very different from the original X... Or else, CLAMP could sue me XD lol. I'm still reading it too... It's released monthly here in Brazil and I just bought volume 4!! *cheers* *ahem* Anyway... Sorry for the long wait... Hope you liked it ^^

~ **kIm** ~ Oh really? ^^ Yay!! Sorry for taking long to update... stupid brain...

~ **Koishii no Tenshi **~ I must thank you... For having the patience to support me XD Sorry for the delay... I hope you liked this flashback too!! ^^ Young Yami and Yugi are soooo cute, aren't they? I promise to update sooner this time too...

~ **Mel Gods** ~ *giggles* Wow, I don't think I had ever seen Mel-chan high on sugar ^^U So funny indeed!! *glomps her* Anyway... hmm... Yes, Yami's dead... Or not... Err... I'm going to explain soon XD Don't lay off sugar... They help with wondering, you know... *ahem* Anyway, I'm glad that you're reviewing at last!! Oh, and don't worry about Yugi... He'll be happy... Eventually XD *dodges thrown object* HEY, I HAVE A PLOT TO DEVELOP HERE, OK?? *shakes fist at offender* *blinks and turns back to Mel* *ahem* So... Hey!! You were right!! ^^ It _was_ Seto... Everybody with him and Yami will be introduced in the next chapter, just wait! Oh and... you're so funny with sugar XD

~ **SoulDreamer** ~ ^-^ THANK YOU!! *glomps* I hope you liked this chapter!

~ **Pretenna** ~ *laughs* Being far from your computer, Pre-chan? I feel so sorry for you ^^U But well, you did get to read in the end, right? Neway... lol, you like freaky stuff, huh? Well, this is getting pretty freaky later... Or maybe that's just me thinking XD Oh well... I'm glad you like it all the same!! Oh, and... Can I huggle Momiji?

~ **Destiny** ~ KAMUI IS BETTER!! XD Erm... sorry, that's my fangirl side screaming... shoo, shoo... *shoves fangirl side away* Anyway... Yami playing the uke again? *laughs hysterically*

Yami: -.- Why are you two doing this to me...?

Lily: *snickers* Cause we like seeing you... hmm... you know, submitting to Yugi? It's interesting!!

Yami: O_o...... I'll pretend I didn't hear that... *walks away*

Lily: ... Oh, let's ignore him *waves hand* Well, I hope you liked this chapter!! ^^

~ **Miami-chan** ~ Yes, he is... But... that was Seto getting his soul from eternal darkness ^^ *nods* Hope you liked the chapter, and sorry for taking so long and... for the cliffhanger XD


	4. 30 days until the end of the world

****

X - 03 (31-30 days until the end of the world)

__

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or X/1999 (where this idea came from... It was just an inspiration, the plots are not very alike though)  
**Warning**: This story will contain shounen ai (boy/boy love) so beware  
**Couple**: Yami/Yugi  
**Sided couples**: Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik, Seto/Katsuya, Hiroto/Anzu and Ryuuji/Shizuka

~ ~ ~

__

Izure koware yuku, kono sekai ni wa  
Yume ya kibou to ka dou demo ii

(Of this world, the end is coming  
Dreams and hopes do not matter)

~ ~ ~

Yugi was frozen.

"Hello."

The same being from the day before was there, standing very close to him, and apparently having come out of nowhere just like the last time. How did he enter his house? Did he do anything to his grandfather? What did he want?

Yugi had many questions, but as incredible as it may sound, he could not voice any. Or anything at all. All he could do was stare and blink, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. What was it that he was seeing?

At first, he had seemed human. The eyes were a little bit more emotive-like, as if there was a turmoil of colors deep inside the brown orbs, and the skin was so white that it seemed as if the boy had never seen the sun before. But other than that, he seemed ordinary. Normal. Now?

Yugi witnessed as angel-like wings flapped lightly and shook the calm air in the room, creating suave breezes, the fluffy shiny things coming from the boy's back. He knew it. He had seen it before. Where? Now _that_ he could not answer. But Yugi had seen it before. In a dream with his mother or Yami, or something along those lines.

They stopped rippling the air, and Yugi observed as some feathers fell down from them, touching his carpet lightly before shining away into nothingness. It was a magnificent vision. Incredible and breath taking. Who would not want to see an angel standing before them?

But to Yugi, it held a deeper meaning. He could cause spontaneous combustion on people. He could weight as light as the air itself. He could float in midair as if he were merely a leaf in the wind. Within him were even worse powers.

And he grew up knowing that he had the grasp of destiny on his shoulders.

Now, he watched as a mystical creature stood before him, one that had already spoken to him about 'the end of the world'. For him, this boy represented no joy or salvation. He deserved no other emotion from him other than suspicion and awareness.

"Who are you?" Yugi asked, not moving an inch from where he was sitting. Any movement could catch the stranger's gaze and he didn't know what he was capable of. Less did he know what he wanted from him. If his desire was his death, then he had to be cautious. It would hurt less to be careful than to suffer from premature recklessness.

"My name is Ryou." The boy said, and Yugi nodded his acknowledgement.

"I suppose you already know mine." he said, and the boy tilted his head slightly to the side, smiling softly.

"Indeed... Yugi." He replied, and Yugi nodded again.

"What do you wish from me?" he inquired, defensively. There was no point into drifting away from the main subject. Yugi did not have the time to mess around. He wanted to know what this was all about, and he wanted that _now_. If it would take him anything to find out, then he would do it. Whatever it took.

"I assume you have not forgotten the words I gave you previously?" he said, and Yugi sighed. Of course he did not forget. They were indescribable, confusing and intriguing. Not only did they leave Yugi in darkness, but also they only served as instigation to the confusion his life was all about.

Biting back any kind of sarcastic remark, Yugi replied with a simple "Yes", and the figure nodded. Using a disguise in the form of a bright light, Ryou made the marvelous wings disappear from his back, going back to appearing simply a normal teenager.

But Yugi knew better now.

"I have informed you about the end of the world, and that you would have a participation in it. However, I have not described to you what that would be. Thus why I am here." He explained, but Yugi interfered in his speech.

"Who am I? What am I?" he asked, and the figure stopped. It seemed surprised that Yugi would be so direct and abrupt like that, but the previously mentioned boy was not willing in having so many secrets being kept about him from himself. He had already spent years in oblivion, and if this creature was there to answer his questions, then let that be the first one. Or first ones.

The figure, Ryou, hesitated a bit. Lady Isis had told him to explain to the Chosen One _only_ what they would be doing until the fated day would be about come. But how could he begin such explanation if there were something else to explain first? If the Chosen One directed a question towards him, then he was compelled to answer.

Although, only about the enough amount.

"You are the Chosen One. You were born with the powers to command those who will fight for humanity on the Fated Day, the End of the World, against those who wish for the destruction of Earth. When the date comes, you will have by your side other six companions, those who are called Holy Shadows. Merely helpers of God in your mission. Your enemies are the Fallen Shadows. Dark creatures who hate the humans and think of them dirty and impure, and that will only kill what once was provided to them free: the Earth." Ryou explained, and Yugi went silent.

Fight for humanity? Lead an "army" to save the Earth? He placed a hand to his eyes, and sighed in deeply. He had a way too big of a burden placed upon his shoulders, one that he did not ask for, and that he did not wish for. How could he kill somebody? He had done it before, yes, but none were alive. They were merely... Shadows, yes.

He could spot them. Watching his every move since Ya... _he_ died. They were silent, but he could hear them. They all wanted him to die. He had never known why. He defeated them, one by one, and his requests for them to stop were always ignored. Things never stopped. But they were merely shadows. Imperfections that ran away from the darkness they belonged to. Forsaken beings. Ones that had been dead a long time ago, and he only pried them out of their miserable existence upon this world.

Would he be able to fight alive beings and kill them? Destroy the impure creatures that only fought for what they believed was right? How could he save humanity, when he could not even save...

"Go." He breathed out, but Ryou was unable to listen to his murmur. Intrigued, he was about to ask for him to repeat but it was not needed. Yugi was willing in repeating. "Get out of my house. Go... away...!" Yugi repeated, his voice increasing in volume as he kept speaking. His hand was pressed against his face in agony, as memories flashed to the surface of his mind.

Ryou could not move from his spot. What... just happened to the Chosen One? Was he not willing in accepting his fate? He opened and closed his mouth several times, thinking about if he should say something. He was really going to say something when Yugi looked up.

His eyes were hard and dark. He was not kidding.

"Get away from me. Go away!!" he said, and brought his hand up. Ryou's eyes widened by the seconds as a ball of light was forming on the palm of the Chosen One's hand. So, he had the power of light... Closing his eyes, Ryou spread his wings and flew through the wall as if had never been there. As if it were merely a wall of air.

Yugi panted slightly as he bent forward, his head between his legs, and his hands supporting him. He closed his eyes shut, trying to keep the memories away, but he was not being much successful. He breathed in deeply, and fell on his back on the soft mattress. Tears fell against his skin without his acknowledgement, or maybe he simply ignored them.

He placed a hand to his eyes. Now he could hear the voices. The deafening sounds. The murmurs. The scene flashed before his closed eyelids. He opened his eyes quickly, trying to avoid any further remembrance. He did not wish to remember that day. Not now. Not ever.

"Yugi!!" his grandfather called, his voice near. Probably, he was climbing up the stairs. "Is everything all right in there??" he shouted, and Yugi sighed. At least, he had a distraction. Thankfully.

He climbed out of bed, and went to assure his grandfather that he was okay. There was no purpose in worrying the elder man with things that were not related to him. This was Yugi's problem.

And he longed to deal with it himself.

*

"Where to?"

Impatience.

"We have to sense them."

Calmness.

"Where??"

Irritation.

"Be patient, Keith. Try focusing your powers for once."

A snicker.

"Suck it up, Kyou."

"..."

Ignorance.

"Let's split."

"What about Yami, Seto?"

"... I'm sure he will find one on his own."

"..."

"We have to find them. And try to keep them away from the Chosen One."

"I thought Seto lost him?"

"They won't win him in battle. He is not an award or a prize. He has to choose. No matter how much they want him for themselves."

"... Is that merely an excuse to cover your incompetence and weakness?"

".... Do you want to test it?" 

"Stop it, both of you. And let's split already. The time for us to hide through the moonlight is expiring. Soon it will be dawn."

"..."

*

Anzu did not know what compelled her to go there in the middle of the night. She had had many cases of insomnia since Yami died, a year ago, but that never got as extreme as it was now. Usually she would sleep again after a while, and even though she would most likely have nightmares then, she would at least _sleep_.

But now... Anzu could not even close her eyes.

__

Maybe... it's because I'm internally afraid... I'll see him again.

She noticed that there were roses before his grave. And smiled. She knew whom they were from, and that both saddened and brought warmth to her heart. She was not mistaken about Yugi. He was indeed closer Yami than she and Honda ever were.

She frowned, her bright blue eyes losing its spark. Although they already were a lot dimmer than they were only a couple of years ago. If Anzu had dreams and nightmares about the day Yami died, and could not even sleep because of it... How was Yugi? How was he dealing with his death?

Badly. He was dealing with it badly.

It must have been painful for him. To lose his father, then his mother, and finally the only one person he had ever come to be bound so much in his life. He barely talked anymore. He barely smiled anymore. It was like... Like he carried the burden of the world on his shoulders. Like death was plaguing him.

Anzu sighed, and placed a hand over her eyes. It was raining, she was cold, and sad. She was fighting against the tears that insisted in trying to come out, but Anzu did not want to cry. There was nothing to cry about. Yami was probably in a better place... He had to be. The way he died... She knew some holy entity must have saved him.

She had no idea how wrong she was.

She looked upon the name on the grave, and the tears subsided. She could look a little clearer now. She shivered, but paid that no attention. Like always, being in Yami's "presence" calmed her. Kept her warm inside.

Maybe he was the brother she could never have had. Maybe she had loved him. Wait... she still did. And she would never stop. But not in the sense she must have once. Yami was important to her. But she knew... she knew...

That he and Yugi were... special to each other. It must have been painful to be torn apart like they were. Anzu remembered... she remembered that they were always together.

A smile was brought to her lips as she remembered once...

*** ~ Flashback ~ ***

__

Anzu looked at the empty desks of Yami and Yugi. It was already the second time they had not come to school, and she was getting worried about them. Honda kept telling her she was overreacting, but she couldn't help it. They never were absent at school, and now two times in a roll? And she tried calling Yami the previous day and nobody answered.

"Let's go to Yugi's house. I lost his phone number, and I want to see if he's okay." she told Honda, who rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Anzu, what if you're worrying about nothing?" he asked her, and she pouted and frowned. She was getting frustrated, and he knew it.

"Would it hurt to check?" she asked, and Honda sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Okay, Anzu. We'll check after school." He said, and Anzu squealed, hugging him and almost sending both of them to the floor. She 'eeped' and blushed, and Honda only laughed and shook his head, then patted hers. "Really worried, now aren't we?" he said. Then smirked. "I would have thought you'd try to check on Yami first, though." He said.

Anzu blinked.

"Why would that be?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I like both of them the same." She said and stuck her tongue out at him, but he only grinned.

"Is that so?" he asked, but did not give the girl an opportunity to reply, as the bell rang and he quickly hurried to his next class. Anzu sighed, and followed him.

She knew what he was implying. He always teased her about it. He kept doing that ever since Anzu bumped on Yami once and fell on him and blushed. But he was wrong. She knew it. She didn't.... did she?

Both of them went to the Kame Game Shop after the classes were over, and Anzu wanted to hurry while Honda kept telling her to calm down. She couldn't help it really, she just wanted to check if they were fine.

They opened the door to the shop, but it was deserted. They blinked and looked at each other, before checking over the shop again. Mr. Mutou was a small man, they could have lost sight of him easily, but... No, he wasn't anywhere in the shop.

"Mr. Mutou?" Honda called, and they heard someone calling from through the door that led to the house. They blinked, and walked over to it, opening and entering the Mutou's residence.

"Mutou-san?" Anzu called.

"In the kitchen!" they heard, and followed the voice. Sugoroku Mutou was actually cooking something, but he wore no apron (much to their disappointment, otherwise it would have been quite a scene) or anything. Probably was just checking on it or something.

"Hello you two, what brings you here?" he asked, smiling. Anzu's concern decreased a bit, but she still couldn't help but go straight to the point.

"Is Yugi okay? Is he here? Can we talk to him? Why didn't he go to school?" she asked quickly, and Honda hit her upside down the head. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and he only raised an eyebrow at her. She sweatdropped and blushed, and then went silent.

Sugoroku laughed, amused.

"Yugi is sick, so he couldn't go to school. He had to stay in bed all weekend, and we only let him get out of bed this morning, though he couldn't go to school either. We called to school, informing that he was sick." He explained, and Anzu blinked.

"'We'?" she asked, but at that moment they were interrupted.

"Grandpa, who's the-- AAHHH!" they heard Yugi's voice, and widened their eyes when they heard his scream.

"Yugi!!" they all exclaimed and went to check what had happened and if he was all right. They all stopped when they came upon the stairs that led to the next floor where the bedrooms were.

Two figures fell to the bottom, one wincing in pain while the other blinked, oblivious to what had happened. Apparently, he was not expecting the outcome that the incident had. He looked up when he felt the figure below him sit up, and gasped.

"Yami, are you okay??" he asked, and touched an arm Yami was holding. The taller one winced, but smiled in an assuring gesture.

"I'm fine, what about you? You didn't get hurt, did you??" he asked and made Yugi slowly stand up, but the smaller one shook his head, and he had tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Yami, I didn't want you to get hurt because of me!" he said and hugged him, which only left Yami embarrassed. He did not know what to do to make him stop feeling so guilty and sad. He looked at Sugoroku and gave him a pleading look, while patting Yugi with his injured arm. He winced, but did not pay it any further care.

"I-it's okay, Yugi! I'm fine, really! Come on, I brought your medicine, go back to your room, ok? I'll be there in a second." He said and Sugoroku had a bad thirty seconds trying to convince Yugi that Yami was indeed fine and that he had to talk to the visitors. Yugi gave Yami another guilty look and Yami had to give him another assuring smile before he finally agreed on climbing back up to his room.

"Hey guys! Sorry about that!" Yami said, finally turning to Anzu and Honda. The two had awkward smiles on their faces, but had stopped sweatdropping already. "You guys weren't worried about me, were you?"

"Oh, why do you think that? Just because you gave us no clue about why you have not been going to school? Of course not..." Anzu said a bit sarcastically, but then pouted and crossed her arms. In the inside, she was just happy that they were both okay. Yami only scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry about it... Yugi has been sick since Saturday, and I had to take care of him while Sugoroku-san took care of the shop. Of course we switched tasks sometimes and he often told me to go to school, but Yugi was really sick and I didn't want to leave him." He said and looked towards the stairs.

Anzu looked at him with wondering eyes. Last time she was sick, he gave her flowers to remind her of him the times he couldn't be with her. Now, with Yugi, he spent all his time with him...

"Yami, your arm! It's bleeding!" Honda pointed, and both Yami and Anzu looked down at it, actually noticing that the brunet was right. Anzu widened her eyes while Yami only covered it with his other hand. He smiled weakly.

"It's no big deal..." he said, and finally noticed he was still holding Yugi's medicine. "Oh, I have to give this to Yugi!" he exclaimed, and was about to climb the stairs when Anzu stopped him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"What about your arm?" she asked, eyes concerned. He only smiled.

"I'll take care of it once Yugi takes his medicine... He needs more assistance than me right now, don't worry!" he winked. He started to climb the stairs, leaving both his friends at the bottom. "I'll talk to you guys later, ok? Don't worry about me! Yugi and I are probably going to school tomorrow or the next day! Then we'll talk, ok? I'm busy now, sorry!" he said, and went inside Yugi's room.

Anzu stood there, frozen in place. Then, she smiled. She shook her head. Honda was wrong. Yami was only a brother to her, nothing else... If maybe she felt something else for him previously, that had just vanished.

But him and Yugi... they...

They were perfect.

*** ~ End of Flashback ~ ***

"You knew him?"

Anzu jumped, turning around quickly. She was completely startled by the voice, since she was so absorbed in her thoughts. Although maybe she was spacing out a bit too much, she did not recall hearing any sound around her. And she would have noticed if someone walked behind her.

Just where did this girl come from?

Anzu hugged herself, feeling a shiver tracing down her spine. This girl... She gave her the creeps. Not only did her long black dress almost cover her completely in oblivion from sight, but her eyes were another story. They were crimson and penetrating, and her pale white skin reflected the moonlight faintly. She seemed.... unnatural. If Anzu weren't rational enough, she would have sworn she was some sort of vampire.

"D-did you know Yami?" she asked, and the girl seemed the smirk. Because it was too dark, Anzu could be easily mistaken. But... by the aura the girl emanated... it could be highly possible.

"Partially. So... does this mean you know Yugi too?" the creepy girl asked, her voice icy as a frozen lake. Now Anzu could tell that that smirk seemed really out of place if it ever were on her face.

"I-I do." Anzu said, and she only wished she would stop stumbling over the words. It only made her look even more of a fool than she already seemed.

"So..." the girl seemed to touch her shoulder, near her neck. Could Anzu be hallucinating, or did she carry something on her back? "...What exactly do you mean to him?" she asked. Anzu blinked.

"I'm his friend... what... why do you ask?" she inquired, backing away from the strange girl a little. She just did not trust this girl. And she did not have any reason to.

The girl looked at her straight in the eyes. And Anzu shivered. Their gazes had not met like that since she appeared, and now... Now, Anzu wished they hadn't.

"Do you think he would cry over your dead body?" she asked, and Anzu's eyes widened, just as she took a huge step backwards.

Everything seemed in slow motion the next instant. Anzu tripped over Yami's grave and fell backward, just as the strange girl took a sword from her back and advanced. Before she could slash her, however, someone grabbed Anzu by the waist and brought her backwards, farther away from the attacker.

When everything went back to normal speed, Anzu could hear her heart beating loudly against her ears. She was panting and flushing, and she had to place a hand on her chest. She almost... that girl, she almost...

She looked up at her savior, and met a pair of bright emerald eyes.

"Are you okay?" a friendly voice asked, and Anzu hesitantly nodded, then feeling the person sighing in relief. Black locks barely covered the amazing green eyes of the stranger as her moved to place Anzu safely on the ground.

"_Mighty_ Ryuuji." The strange girl said, standing in front of Yami's grave with a long samurai sword in hand. 'Ryuuji' narrowed his eyes.

"Chris." He said, and stood in front of Anzu, protectively.

Anzu blinked. What was going on??

~~~ **_end of chapter III_**

A/N: And so, Lily's finally back!! Sorry for the delay... And for the long chapter XD I know that some of you might not like long chapters, but I guess it wasn't that long... was it? Anyway, you have a few explanations, a little bit of fluff, and some action... How do you feel? You don't hate me, now do you? I hope not! More about Yami's past and Yugi's future in the next chapter! We still have to know what happened to Yami's mother, how he died, and what leaves Yugi so anguished about that day... But you can't forget to **review**, now can you? Please... And up to the next time we meet, I bid you farewell...

:: _Replies to reviewers _::

~ **Yana5 **~ Hi to you too! ^^U I'm fine, yes... and I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you liked this one too!

~ **SoulDreamer** ~ Oh, thank you, I really liked your compliments ^^ I guess I'm learning how to hide information from CLAMP itself XD They know how to intrigue someone... I hope I'm doing a good job in that part! I don't want to confuse people, or be too mysterious... So I hope it keeps you guys interested, only ^^ Here's the new chapter, and I hope you like it

~ **Hime no Ichigo** ~ lol, don't worry about not reviewing chapter 2, Kaoru-chan... Ra knows I can't ask you to review my stories, when I was supposed to do the same with yours XD Anyway... I'm sorry this didn't have much fluff, and way too much of Anzu ^^U I know ya hate her, but... I wanted to put her there *shrugs* Don't ask why... And about Yami... hmm... I'll explain why he's acting like that soon, don't worry! I know I may have confused people by making Yami suffer in Eternal Darkness (it was not exactly hell), but I shall explain that soon too...

And by the way, nope, I don't have 30 chapters to go XD I'll skip some days soon, ya shall see... 30 is just... too long... @_@ I bet it'll have about 20 though *shrugs* We'll have to see... Oh, and Yugi has a very difficult decision to make too... anyone who knows X/1999 knows which one ^^U

Sorry for taking so long to update my stuff, but you know how I was With Writer's Block and obsessed with my little PlayStation again... *sighs* I'm back now, though!! Hope you liked the chapter ^^ *gives her Neko Yugi plushies and Kouichi some Demon Yami plushies*

~ **Destiny** ~ Ya know, for some reason I'm getting extremely obsessed with Kamui... He's such an interesting character, and also... He's so handsome... *sighs dreamily* *blinks* Oh, and about Isis... erm... since I know her, her eyes are blue XD And her clothes are light too, so I suppose she'd look nice in white ^-^ *pictures it* Hmmm... nice ^^ By the way... I don't get your comment about the Flashbacks O_o sorry...

Yami: And before leaving, I shall say... I AM NOT AN UKE PERSON!! 

Lily: ^^U Right... *shows him some Yugi/Yami stories*

Yami: *blinks* ..... *reads* ...... ooh...

Lily: XD That'll keep him busy... ^^ I hope you liked this chapter, and no, I won't let people kill you! XD *gives her some magical shields for protection*

~ **YumeTakato** ~ lol, I'm stopping by your stories soon, I PROMISE!! ^^ I'm glad you like the flashbacks, and don't worry, you were helpful yes ^-^ I hope you liked this chapter and... ^^U Long list of favorites, huh? *pats her back*

~ **Kitty Neko** ~ Sorry!! I'm afraid I did a cliffhanger again... XD Please, don't hit me... I'll be back with this fic soon, I promise!! And about Yami... erm... he'll be like that for a while... ^^U Sorry... *bows* I hope you liked the chapter though...

~ **Sansi** ~ I'm glad you like the idea, and I'm glad to know you're around again!! ^-^ Thanks for the compliments, and please stick around! I hope you liked the chapter as well.

~ **LiLTakariGirl aka Yami Aro** ~ You got a bit confused?? If you want, you can ask me anything... As long as it doesn't contain a spoiler in the answer, I'll answer it to you gladly! ^^ I'm happy to know you like my stories, and thanks for always reviewing! Hope you liked the chapter!

~ **Cherry-Wolf** ~ Hmm... I'm afraid this won't have a direct connection with the original X as you were expecting ^^U I mean, though the 'end of the world' idea is the same, there are many things that differentiate this story from CLAMP's manga... and that includes the character's and such. Though it'd be interesting to make the characters be alike... XD Jou somehow reminds me of Sorata... ^^U They're both really funny! But sorry for not making a real semi-crossover with the stories -.- I hope you still read though! Thanks for stopping by ^^

~ **Pretenna** ~ Tee hee!! *huggles Momiji* You're so cute!! *pats him* *turns to Pre* Don't worry about not reviewing, it's good to see when you do anyway! ^^ I like hearing from you! *blinks* Hmmm... maybe I'll stop by and read your stories ^_~ and review, of course!

Iris: That makes 3 in your list... you should have already began reading those, you baka...

Lily: *sweatdrops* You're right... *ahem* Anyway, good to know you liked last chapter, and sorry if this chapter's flashback wasn't much fluffy... But I guess I had to do it cause... oh well, I wanted to make Anzu nice once in a while! *laughs* And I'm glad you like it cause it's freaky and mysterious and stuff...

Iris: ^^U Poor M-chan though...

Lily: *only laughs more*

~ **Kinsako** ~ Thank you! ^-^ I like doing the flashbacks... I guess X/1999 is really influencing this story in more ways than one XD *points to her X/1999 mangas full of flashbacks* *ahem* Anyway, I'm glad you lime Yami's last name ^^ *gives a Yami plushy* Stick by, ok?


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